Athletics at the 2020 Summer Olympics – Qualification

A National Olympic Committee (NOC) may enter up to 3 qualified athletes in each individual event if all athletes meet the entry standard during the qualifying period. An NOC may also enter a maximum of 1 qualified relay team per event. Under the universality rule, NOCs may enter one male athlete and one female athlete, regardless of time, if they have no athletes of that gender meeting the entry standard. This makes it possible for every nation to have a minimum of two representative in the sports. These universality spots cannot be used in the combined events, the 10,000 metres, or the 3,000 metre steeplechase[1][2][3]

The qualifying system for Tokyo 2020 saw fundamental changes from the previous Olympics. While the qualification from Rio 2016 and other previous editions relied on qualifying times, Tokyo 2020 is primarily based on world ranking. The IAAF continues to set qualifying times, but these are "set for the sole purpose of qualifying athletes with exceptional performances unable to qualify through the IAAF World Rankings pathway." The number of entrants per event is capped, with different caps for different events varying from 24 athletes for the combined events to 80 athletes for the marathons.[1][2]

The IAAF world rankings are based on the average of the best five results for the athlete over the qualifying period. The results are weighted by the importance of the meet.[4]

The qualifying time standards may be obtained in various meets during the given period approved by the World Athletics. The qualifying period for the marathon and the 50 km race walk occurs from 1 January 2019 to 5 April 2020 and from 1 December 2020 to 31 May 2021 and the qualifying for the 10,000 m, 20 km race walk and combined events occurs from 1 January 2019 to 5 April 2020 and from 1 December 2020 to 29 June 2021, with the rest of the track and field events happening from 1 May 2019 to 5 April 2020 and from 1 December 2020 to 29 June 2021. The most recent Area Championships may be counted in the ranking, even if not during the qualifying period.[2] On 6 April 2020, the World Athletics announced that the qualification period for the Games was suspended until 30 November 2020, in response to the coronavirus pandemic.[5] In July 2020, World Athletics announced that the suspension period would be lifted for the road events (marathons and race walks) on 1 September 2020.[6]

For the relays, a maximum of sixteen qualified NOCs shall be entitled to each event. The top eight teams in each event at the 2019 World Championships in Athletics (held in Doha from 28 September to 6 October 2019) guarantee a spot on their respective NOCs for the Olympics. The remaining half in each event are selected at the 2021 World relays and according to IAAF World Ranking List as of 29 June 2021 based on the aggregate of the 2 fastest times achieved by NOCs during the given period.[2]

NOCs with more than three qualified athletes in an individual event may select, using their own rules, athletes from among those qualified. For example, the United States selects athletes based on the result of the 2021 United States Olympic Trials meet, but has a policy of entering every athlete qualified. Sweden only enters athletes good enough to reach at least the eighth position, based on an assessment by the Swedish NOC.

Athletes must have been born before 1 January 2005 (that, be at least 16 years old at the end of 2020) to compete. Youth athletes (born in 2003 or 2004, age 16 or 17 at the end of 2020) cannot compete in the throwing events, combined events, marathons, race walks, or 10,000 metre events. Junior athletes (born in 2001 or 2002, age 18 or 19 at the end of 2020) cannot compete in the marathons or the 50 kilometre race walk.[2]

The IAAF Qualifying Standards are as follows:[7][2]